A hypothesis was developed, and successfully tested, to greatly increase the rates of biodegradation of polyolefins, by anchoring minute quantities of glucose, sucrose or lactose, onto functionalized polystyrene (polystyrene-co-maleic anhydride copolymer) and measuring their rates of biodegradation, which were found to be significantly improved.

Enzymes expressed in response to vinyl chloride, ethene, and epoxyethane by Nocardioides sp. strain JS614 were identified by using a peptide mass fingerprinting (PMF) approach. PMF provided insight concerning vinyl chloride biodegradation in strain JS614 and extends the use of matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization time of flight mass spectrometry as a tool to enhance characterization of b...

A theoretical analysis was performed to examine the role of naphthalene dioxygenase (NDO) enzymes in determining differences in biodegradability and biodegradation rates of two- to four-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) via oxygenation and desaturation reactions. Investigation of the thermodynamics of PAH biodegradation reactions catalyzed by NDO revealed that enthalpies of reaction ...

The factors identified to be important for the aerobic biodegradation of alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane (alpha-HCH) in a soil slurry are temperature, auxiliary carbon source, substrate concentration, and soil inhomogeneities. Temperatures in the range of 20 to 30 degrees C were determined to be most favorable for biodegradation of alpha-HCH. No alpha-HCH biodegradation was detected at temperatures...

Rates of hydrocarbon biodegradation were estimated by following oxygen uptake during mineral oil oxidation or oxidation of [1-14C]hexadecane to 14CO2, when these substrates were added to natural water samples from Wisconsin lakes. A lag phase preceded hydrocarbon oxidation, the length of which depended on population density or on factors influencing growth rate and on the presence of nonhydroca...

Soil and surface water contamination by used lubricating oil is a common occurrence in most developing countries. This has been shown to have harmful effects on the environment and human beings at large. Bioremediation can be an alternative green technology for remediation of such hydrocarbon-contaminated soil. Bioremediation of soil contaminated with 5% and 15% (w/w) used lubricating oil and a...

Mazut as a source content of various hydrocarbons is hard to be degraded and its cracking could turn mazut into useful materials. Nevertheless degradation of mazut by routine methods is too expensive but application of indigenous microorganisms as biocatalysts could be effective and important to lower the costs and expand its consumption. Mazut biodegradation can be improved using various strat...